The Portland daily press., 1887-03-16
MUSIC AND DRAMA.


Ainesse," under the title name of "Falka,"
which has received so much favor wherever
it has been presented, was produced for the
first time in Portland last evening by Nc
Caull's company. The great fault in NEST
of the operas like Milbocker's "Black Hus-
sar' and Farnie's "Falka" is that they are
spread over too thin. There is too little music
and too much dialogue, and however bright
the dialogue may be in the original German,
or French, it is pretty poor stuff-like the
dialogue of burlesques-in the translation.
Gags and puns are made to do duty for wit,
and as Col. McCaull has been credited with
saying, ''the worse the pun the better his
audiences seemed to like it." What carried
"Falka" last night was the picturesque cos
tuning, and the fact that Miss Kitty Cheat
ham, who took the title-role, possesses good
flexible soprano voice, and plays with much
dash and spirit; that Mr.. Francis Gaillard
takes the part of Bolesis, the gypsy, with
much fire and admirable appreciation of the
spirit of burlesque, IN which he is ably as
sisted by Miss Alice Gaillard, as Edwige, his
sister. that Mr.. Plunkett makes all that is
possible out OF the old governor Won Fol-
bach; that Mr.. Klein is an unctious old
Father Pahern; and that the ensembles at
the end of the first and second acts are strik-
ing ane effective These actors lust men
toned and their ensembles impart "a rollick-
ing character to the opera that pleased the
audience last night, for they tried to call the
curtain both times. The trio in the second
act between Falka, Bolesirs and Edwige was
well rendered and encored. We hope Mr..
McCaull will send his companies more FREE
quently to Portland now he has found the
way.
CONCERT AT wooDFoRD's.
Mons. Felix Mont Morencis concert CON-
10 inn faI
entertainment in behalf of the Deering Viii
lage Improvement Association at Lewis Hall
Woodford's. Despite the threatening wealth
er, large audience was in attendance. The
concert was highly successful, and the pro-
gramme throughout one of rare excellence.
The fact that every one of the artists was
under the age.of II can only give them the
greater praise for their skillful performance.
They were very neatly dressed, and the
broadcloth swallow tails of the young mes
sieurs blended prettily with the satins and
roses of the madamoiselles. Mons. vanber-
ger acted as stage manager, and everything
passed off to the credit of the little eight
year-old. Almost every rendition was en-
cored, and the basso, Mons Jean de Lussac
was the recipient of beautiful bouquet. The
prima donna, Mlle Joanna de Bevallan, sang
her selections very sweetly, and presented
an exceedingly graceful appearance. The
elocutlonist of the evening, Mile Marbocaf,
read several pieces in dramatic and effect
i've manner. Every one of the masters and
misses deserve mention, but the length of
their very Frenchy names, together with the
number of adJectlves required render this
impossible. The next entertainment of the
course will be the mission of the Fairies"
to be held Thursday evening, March oath.
THE SYMPHONY CONCERT.
The concert, which will be given in the
Stockbridge course, by the Boston Symphony
Orchestra, sixty musicians under the con-
ductorship of Herr Gericke, and assisted by
the well know tenor, Mr.. Whitney Mock
ridge, will draw very brilliant and musical
audience. The programme has been pub
lished by us and contains great deal that is
more or less familiar to our musical people
all of which will be greatly enjoyed, rendered
as it will be by this magnificent musical or
ganization. There are good seats yet to be
procured at Stockbridge's.
FIRST BAPTIST CONCERT.
An entertainment and supper will be given
at the First Baptist church tomorrow even
ing which will be well worth the price of ad-
mission. The supper win be served by the
young men after the entertainment. Shaw's
maleiquartette, Miss Annie M. Greeley, So
prano, Mr.. V. r. Foss, elocutionist, and Mr.,
5. w. Woodbury., pianist, will take part.
ALONE IN LONDON.
The tickets for Alone in London, to be pro-
duced in Portland Theatre Friday and Satur-
day, will be on sale at the box office TODAY.
The San Francisco Call says:
"Alone in London is billed at the Baldwin
for another week. By her dual presentations
OF Annie Meadows and Nan, the flower girl,
MISS Cora Tanner continues to increase in
favor Buchanan, the author, is said to be
very proud OF this, his latest production, and
when 1t was brought out in Philadelphia (th5
first production in the United States), went
to that city to supervise it. Speaking of Blu
chanan, the Philadelphia Press says: He is
a Scotchman quite in the prime Of life, whose
book, London Poems," published many
years ago, attracted wide attention, and was
commended by George Eliot as 1.-THE boldest
poetic experiment since Wadsw0rth." He Is
also the author of several successful novels,
and has within three years produced four
plays"
AMY sHERwIN TROUPE.
The tickets are now ready at Stockbrldgs's
for the concert to be given by the Amy Sher-
win troupe at City Hall next Monday even
ing. The celebrated talent which will assist
Miss Sherwin is named in our amusement
column. The London correspondent of the
Boston Herald, speaking Of Miss Sherwin,
says: but the gem OF the evening was the